1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and processes for the combustion of gaseous fuel and air mixtures, and more particularly, to a burner apparatus such as are used in home and commercial range-top stove applications.
2. Background Art
The search for ever more efficient, compact, and cost-effective burners is a longstanding one. For example, it would be desirable to produce a burner apparatus: with an improved thermal efficiency over a broad range of firing rates (that is, the combustion rate of the fuel/air mixture as represented in terms of BTU/hr); which is capable of providing a stable flame over a broad range of firing rates; which is capable of delivering heat to the object to be heated in a uniform manner, so as to avoid "hot spots"; and, having a simplified, less-expensive, and more durable construction.
Indeed, one of the techniques which has been attempted, for providing more complete (and thus more efficient) combustion, and for providing for efficient heating, is to cause the fuel/air mixture to undergo a swirling motion either before, during or after ignition. One such burner apparatus is disclosed in Schuetz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,074. Although a burner configured for stove-top use, the Schuetz burner employs a plurality of fuel nozzles which are angled, so as to introduce the fuel into the combustion chamber with a swirling motion, whereby the air is introduced into the combustion chamber via the suction created by the fuel stream and the ongoing combustion flow, once combustion has begun. The combustion products are then passed through conical and cup diffusers, for mixing of the combustion products with excess air, in an attempt to achieve complete combustion of the fuel.
Another burner apparatus which employs swirling appears to be disclosed in Alger, U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,927. In Alger, the fuel/air mixture is directed to a series of ports arranged in a circle, with angled tabs provided to produce a swirling motion to the gases, which are ignited to produce a swirling flame. The flame is then deflected around a circular disk to produce an annular cylindrical column of flame.
Elperin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,941 discloses a gas burner for producing a rotating flame, for use in stove-top applications. The Elperin burner includes a housing, the interior of which includes a plurality of passageways, which are both angled inward, so as to inwardly but not radially extend toward the center of the housing, and which are inclined upwardly from the outer portion of the housing toward the inner portion, so as to produce a series of rotating, spiraling flames underneath the object to be heated. A plurality of vertical support rods separate the top of the burner from the bottom of the object.